Refrigerator construction



0st 31, 19330 J. T. CARD ET AL REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed June 18, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l [4:27.2"75 7736 JCav/"d' Jro mm 31, mm 11 ARD H M 1,933,242

REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed June 18, 19.30 4 Sheets-She'et 2 fia fi z 1 i EH71 k 3 2; ZWYE WJLDFE: a Jrome J'Gdlfd 1 do 31, 1933. J. T. CARD ET AL REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed June 18, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 I [I wil 4 YEW/5T5 Jrame Wz'z'a;

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J. T. CARD El AL REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed June 18 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 TfiYEn laws; Jrome 7 @7 62,

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 v 1.933.242 REFRIGERATOR oons'rauoirron Jerome '1. Card and William C. Hoibrook, Ohioago, Iii, asslgnorc to Masonite Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporatlon'of Delaware Application June 18, 1930. Serial No. 461,901

13 Claims.

More in detail, an important feature of the invention' resides in wall structure or sections prebuilt up of layers or laminations of suitable composition. material which is temperature and moisture resistant and with the layers separated by insulating air spaces.

A further important feature is the construction of these wall sections with edges of extensive joint areas and the intimate jointure' of the wall sections to form perfectly sealed joints.

Another important feature resides in the use of metal tension straps surrounding and encompassing the assembled wall sections to clamp the sections intimately together at their joint edges and to form a rigid container structure without the use of nails, screws or analogous hardware.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a main container or insulation structurev constructed and assembled as above referred to, and a liner structure constructed and assembled in the same fashion for insertion into the main structure.

A further feature of theinven-tion is the preformation of the liner structure of walls or panels of suitable composition material and corner strips grooved to receive the edges of the walls to rigidly secure the'walls together and to seal the corners of the liner structure against'the passage of temperature or moisture.

Other features of the inventionreside in the application of moisture proofing and temperature resisting paper or suitable fabric where required, and the application of metal foil or sprayed metal sheathing at the inside .and the outside of the refrigerator to seal the same against the entrance or absorption of moisture and to afiord a suitable base for the application of a finish such as Duco, enamel, or other suitable material.

The above referred to and other features of the invention are shown incorporated in the structure disclosed on the'drawings, in which drawmgs,

Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a finished refrigerator;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the liner structure;

Figure 3 is a section on plane Ill-HI of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspec- Q tive view showing the engagement of the side walls of the liner structure in the grooved corner strips;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner of protecting the corner strips of the liner structure and sealing the walls in the grooves thereof;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the assembled main container structure;

Figure 'l is an enlarged section on plane 30 VII-VII of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of one of the corners of the structure shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an enlarged section on plane IXIX of Figure 7; I

Figure 10 is an enlargement of the section shown in Figure "I to more clearly disclose the details of the sealing engagement of the door with the adjacent wall of the main container structure.

Figure 11 is a-perspective view of one of the wall sections for the main container structure;

Figure 12 is an enlarged view showing the manner of securing at their joints the strips which form the door frame;

Figure 13 is a reduced scale front elevation of the Presdwood facing for the door frame;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary view of one of the walls of the liner structure showing the application of a thimble therethrough for the engrance of service piping and electrical conducors;

Figure 15 is a vertical section of one of the walls of the structure showing the manner of securing shelf supporting pegs;

Figure 16 is a perspective view of a corner of the main container structure showing one of the corner reinforcing metal fittings applied thereto;

Figure 17 shows the manner of forming the corner fittings from sheet metal;

Figure 18 is a plan view showing the manner of inserting the liner structure into the main container structure.

Describing first the liner structure, it comprises the top and bottom walls 20 and 21, the 105 side walls 22 and 23 and the rear wall 24. Each of these walls is preferably an integral slab or panel of temperature and moisture resistant material which is grainless so that it will not warp, buckle or distort. Preferably composition board 110 is used as for example board known commercially as Presdwood, which is made of disintegrated wood, a product resulting from the process dis closed in Patent No. 1,578,609, issued March 30,

1926, to William H. Mason. For aligning these walls comer strips 25 are used. 1 These strips may be formed from stock strips of rectangular crosssection, grooves 26 and 27 being cut in adjacent faces and the corner between the faces being cut away to leave the surface 28 extending diagonally and of concave curvature transversely. The edges of adjacent panels extend into the grooves 26 and 27 and the walls are thus accurately held in proper alignment, the ends of the corner strips being mitered as indicated at 29 to form good joints.

The liner structure assembly is rigidly and securely held together by metal bands or straps 30 running around the top, bottom, and side walls in vertical planes and having their ends securely fastened together by clasps or seals 31 applied with suitable tools. Straps 32 running in horizontal planes extend around the back panel 24 and partly around the side walls 22 and 23 where they are secured to the rear vertical straps 30 by means of seals 33. To bring the straps against the panels the corner strips 25 have gains as cut therein as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4. An extremely rigid and strong liner structure is thus formed without the use of nails, screws or similar hardware and the panels are securely seated in the grooves of the corner strips, and the curved surfaces 28 of the strips will present gradual radius corners for the liner structure.

To provide further insulation against heat transfer, and against moisture, the interior of the liner structure is preferably coated with a bright, reflecting metal, as for example aluminum foil. The application of this foil is indicated in Figure 5. The various panels forming the walls of the liner structure may be coated with foil 35 before assembling, and likewise the corner strips 25 may be pre-coated with foil 36 intimately applied to the radius surface 28 and extended around and along the inner sides of the grooves 26 and 27. Suitable adhesive may be used to hold the foil intimately in place, and the desired intimacy may be obtained in spraying the metal on the surfaces of the liner structure. The foil coated panels are inserted into the grooves of the corner strips and the foil on the coner strips together with the panel foil will then form a continuous metallic coating or lining for the liner structure.

Before the panels are inserted into the grooves of the corner strips sealing material 3'7 such as putty is first applied into the grooves so that when the various parts are clamped together during assembly by the metal straps, the putty will form a tight seal between the panels and the corner strips.

Describing now the main container or insulating structure which receives the liner structure, such main structure is assembled from a number of pre-formed wall sections. The structure comprises the top and bottom wall sections 38 and 39, the side sections 40 and 41, the rear wall section 42, and a door section &3.

The wall sections are all built up in the same general manner of air space separated panels of varying area so that they overlap at their edges to form rabbet formations for inter-engaging the rabbet formations of adjacent wall sections to form snug joints. The panels forming the wall sections are preferably of some composition materialwhich does not have grain and in which the fibers are more open than in the Presdwood panels of which the liner structure is built. We have found that a very suitable material for the panels in the main or insulating structure is the board known commercially as "Presdwood.

Figure 11 shows the formation of one of the side wall sections. Any number of panels may be used for the wall section. As shown each wall section comprises three panels 44 of so-called Presdwood, or other suitable material. Each panel has a rectangular reinforcing and spacing frame 45 secured thereto and such frame may be of wood. The spacing frame may be secured to the panel by nailing, stapling, adhesive material, or otherwise, and when the panels are assembled the spacing frames will enclose insulating air spaces 46 between the middle panel and the inner and outer panels. The assembled reinforced panels may be nailed or otherwise secured together to form the complete wall section.

For the top, bottom, and side wall sections, as shown in Figures '7 and 11, the spacing frames are applied so that, except at the front edges the intermediate panels will extend a distance beyond the inner panels and the outer panels will extend a distance beyond the intermediate panels to form rabbet or joint steps for inter-jointed engagement of the sections. At the front edges of the top, bottom and side wall sections the panels and the spacing frames terminate in a common vertical plane to form a seat for a door frame 4'? which is preferably of. some hard wood such as maple. As shown in Figure 12 this door frame 'may be built up of horizontal and vertical strips secured together at their mitered edges by corrugated fasteners 48, staples, or by other means.

After forming of the various wall sections for the maincontainer structure, they are assembled in a manner as clearly shown in Figures 6 and 16.

One or more metal bands or straps 49 are passed around the top, bottom and side wall sections and securely'drawn together by seals or fasteners 50. Metal bands 51 extend in vertical planes and encompass the top, bottom, rear, and side walls closeto the edges thereof so that the front legs of the bands will extend across the vertical legs of the door frame 47. Straps 52 extend in horizontal planes around the wall sections to pass and the side edges thereof against cutting by the 1 metal straps, metal corner caps 53 and edge plates 54 are provided. As shownin Figure 17 these caps and plates may be economically produced.

A rectangular piece of sheet metal is put along its diagonal lines a and b to sever therefrom the seg ments 0, the cutting die or tool being'such that on one of the diagonal edges of the plate dovetail ears e will remain and along the other edge will be corresponding dovetail grooves f. The plate is now bent at right angles along its diagonal lines to form a rectangular corner cap 53, the dovetail ends e being deflected into the dovetail grooves f to interlock the edges a and b. These corner plates will receive the straps 51 and 52. The severed segments 0 are given right angle bends and form the plates 54 which engage the corners of the wall sections to receive the straps 49. v

The door structure 43 s own is built up of outer, intermediate and inner panels 55, 56 and 57 separated by spaced frames 58 leaving the closed insulating air spaces 59. The inner panel 57 is preferably of double thickness or of two panels and the panels are secured together by nailing or otherwise. A molding 60 surrounds the assembled panels and has secured thereto the front frame 61, the molding and frame being preferably of wood, and the frame 61 being preferably flush with the outer panel 55. As shown in Figure 1 the door is supported by hinges 62 secured thereto and to the door frame s7, and a suitable lock 63 is provided.

The panels forming the door are preferably of material such as Presdwood already referred to, and the door ispreierably faced on the inside by a thin panel 64 of Presdwood and at its outer side by a thin panel 65 also of Presdwood.

The door structure is then preferably entirely coated with a reflecting metal such as alumin 66 to which is applied a finish coat 6'? of Duco, enamel, or other suitable finish material. As has already been explained the liner structure is inserted into the main container structure and when the door is applied its metal casing will form a continuation of the metal casing or lining of the liner structure to form a continuous metallic moisturebarrier for the interior of the refrigerator.

Before the liner structure is inserted in the main container structure, this main structure is first entirely lined on the inside and the outside with moisture insulating paper or fabric 68. We have found that paper known coercially as Scutan paper is very eiilcient. After application of the paper, a sheathing 69 of Presdwood is ap plied against the outer sides of the wall sections and against the front of the door frame d7. Over this sheathing isiapplied metallic surfacing 70 as for example aluminum foil and this foil is covered with a finish such as enamel, Ducc, or other suitable material.

Before insertion of the liner structure into the main structure, the corners at the inside of the main structure are further insulated by the insertion of corner strips '11 of moisture proof paper. The liner structure is now inserted as illustrated in Figure 18, the corner strips 25 of the liner structure intimately engaging in the comers of the main structure and the spacer strips 72 between the front ends of the corner strips, as shown in' Figure 2, engaging the walls of the main structure at the inlet thereof. The corner strips and the spacer strips '72 will leave insulating air spaces 73 between the liner structure and the inner panels of the main structure which air spaces will assist in insulating the. structure thermally. The container structure and the door structure may be provided with complementary grooves for receiving a suitable sealing gasket '74. A supporting base or framework '75 is provided for supporting the refrigerator structure on the floor.

To provide for the entrance of electrical conductors and supply pipes for the cooling medium, thimble structures 76 and 77 are provided. As shown in Figure 9 the thimble structure 77 is inserted in the bottom of the rear wall section 42 so that'the cooling element piping '78 and the electric conduit '79 may extend upwardly through the air space between the intermediate and outer panels. The thimble structure 76 extends through the liner'wall and the inner panel of the rear wall section near the top thereof and in register with the passage 80 through the intermediate panel so that the piping and conduit may extend through the passage 80 and the thimble structure 76 into the interior of the liner structure. After insertion of the piping and conduit the thimbles are filled with sealing material, as for example sealing material known commercially as Paralite. After filling in this sealing material the covers 81 for the thimbles are applied thereto, these covers as shown in Figure '14 having a passageway'82 therethrough for the piping and conduit, and each cover is preferably split as in- 1 dicated at 83 so that it may be distorted and slipped around the piping and conduitfor application to the thimble structures.

As shown in Figure 2, a supporting bracket or strap 84 is secured on top of the liner structure with its ends 85 extending downwardly along the outer side of the side wall 22, these legs aifording a secure support for the refrigerant circulating cells (not shown) connected with the supply pipme '78.

As shown in Figures 2 and 15 strips 86 may be secured againstthe outer side of the side walls of the liner structure to afford supports for pegs or hooks 87 for mounting shells within the structure.

The Presdwood sheath or covering 88 for the front of the container structure is preferably a single rectangular piece as shown in Figure 13 and is of a width to extend in front of the door frame 47 and the front end of the liner structure so as to seal the joint between the liner structure and the main structure at the front end thereof.

In order that the main or insulating structure may retain its full insulating efficiency it must be protected and sealed against the entrance or absorption of air or moisture both from outside and inside. By intimately covering the liner structure with metal foil and by sheathing the ex terior of the insulating structure with metal foil, as has been explained, a very good seal is afforded the insulating structure against heat transfer air and moisture. The foil can be covered with paint, lacquer, enamel or other material v which will fill any pores or crevasses.

Instead of using foil, suitable metal could be sprayed on, The entire liner structure, before insertion into the insulating structure, could be dipped in suitable sealing substance or compound. For example, it could be dipped into liquid pyroxalin.

As there may be modifications in the construction, arrangement and materials used without departing from the scope and principles of our invention, we do not desire to be limited except as is specified in the appended claims.

We claim as follows:

1. In a refrigerator structure, a liner structure comprising corner strips having longitudinal grooves, non-metallic fibrous panels engaging in said grooves to be aligned by said corner strips, and tensioned metallic bands surrounding said panels and strips to clamp said strips and panels in assembled position, said bands constituting the sole means for retaining said strips and panels in assembled relation. 7

2. In refrigerator construction, the combination of an insulating cabinet structure, and a lining structure therefor, said lining structure comprising non-metallic fibrous enclosing walls, and tensioned vertical and horizontal metal bands clamped around said walls to secure them pre-formed wall sections, each wall section comtogether, said metal bands constituting the sole means for retaining the said walls in assembled relation."

3. In refrigerator construction, the combination of an outer insulating cabinet structure, of a lining structure therefor, said lining structure comprising panels of fibrous composition material, corner strips having grooves for receiving the ends of said panels, and tensioned metal bands encompassing-said walls to clamp them in assembled position, said metal bands constituting the sole means for retaining said strips and panels in assembled relation.

4. In refrigerator construction, the combination of a rectangular insulating cabinet structure, a pre-formed liner structure inserted there-' in, said liner structure comprising panels, corner strips having longitudinal grooves receiving the ends of the panels, and metal straps in tension around said panels and strips to clamp said panels and strips intimately together, said metal bands constituting the sole means for retaining said strips and panels in assembled relation.

5. A refrigerator construction comprising, an insulating enclosing cabinet comprising preformed wall sections, each'wall section comprising a plurality of panels of temperature insulating material overlapping at their ends for interjoint connection with the ends of adjacent wall sections, and horizontal and vertical metal bands tensed around said wall sections to hold them rigidly in interjointed assembly, said bands constituting the sole means for maintaining said wall sections in assembled relation.

6. A refrigerator construction comprising, an insulating enclosing cabinet structure built up of prising a plurality of panels of heat insulating characteristics, spacer frames between the panels forming enclosed insulating air spaces therewith, the ends of the panels of the wall sections overlapping for interjoint connection between the-sections, and metal bands tensed around said sections to rigidly hold said sections in interjointed assembly, said bands constituting the sole means for maintaining said wall sections in assembled relation.

7. A refrigerator construction comprising, the

combination of a cabinet structure built up of pre-formed wall sections, each wall section comprising a plurality of panels of temperature insulating material, separator means between the panels forming closed insulating air spaces, said sections being shaped at their edges for interjoint connection with each other when assembled, the front edges of said wall seciions surrounding an entrance opening, a door frame applied to said front edges, horizontal and vertical metal bands tensed around said wall sections to secure them in interjointed assembly, said bands extending across said door frame to rigidly hold it in place, and a door struclure supported by said door frame, said bands constituting the sole means for maintaining said sections in assembled relation, said bands being tensioned when applied to maintain said sections under compression.

8. A refrigerator construction comprising, an insulating cabinet structure built up of preformed wall sections, each wall section comprising a plurality of insulating panels of disintegrated wood and spacing means forming closed insulating air spaces between the panels, a door frame at the front edges of said sections, and steel tension bands encompassing said wall sections and extending across said door frame to esaaaa clamp said door frame in place and securely loclt the wall sections in assembled position, said bands serving as the sole means for maintaining said wall sections in assembled relation.

9. A refrigerator construction comprising, the combination of an outer insulating cabinet structure built up of pre-formed wall sections each comprising a plurality of insulating panels separated by insulating air spaces, metal bands encompassing said wall sections to hold them rigidly in assembled alignment, and a lining structure for said insulating structure, said lining structure being pre-formed and comprising comparatively thin panels of temperature insulating material, corner strips grooved to receive the ends of the panels, and metal bands surrounding said panels and strips to hold them rigidly together, said bands serving as the sole means for maintaining said preformed wall sections in assembled relation to constitute the outer cabinet,iand the bands surrounding the liner constituting the sole means for maintaining said panels and strips in assembled relation said bands being tensioned when applied to place said sections and panels under compression.

10. A refrigerator construction comprising, the combination of an outer insulating cabinet structure built up of pre-formed wall sections each comprising a plurality of insulating panels separated by insulating air spaces, metal bands encompassing said wall sections to hold them rigidly in assembled alignment, and a lining structure for said insulating structure, said lining structure being pre-formed and comprising comparatively thin panels of temperature insulating material, corner strips grooved to receive the ends of the panels, and metal bands surrounding said panels and strips to hold them rigidly together, the interior of said liner structure and the exterior of said insulating structure being entirely covered by a metal sheath, said bands serving as the sole means for maintaining said preformed wall sections in assembled relation to constitute the outer cabinet, and the bands surrounding the liner constituting the sole means for maintaining said panels and strips in assembled relation, said bands being tensioned when applied to place said sections and panels under compression.

11. A refrigerator comprising an outer main casing including top, bottom, side and rear sections; every section comprising a plurality of laterally spaced sheets providing air spaces therebetween; the sections being secured together in open box form by tensed metallic bands; said bands being tensioned when applied to put said sections under compression; said bands serving as the sole means for securing said sections together; a liner insertable in said main casing; said liner comprising top, bottom, side and rear panels and kerfed corner strips; the panels being led into said kerfs to provide an open box-like liner of single thickness walls; metal bands tensed about said liner to retain said panels and corner strips in assembled relation; said bands serving as the sole means for retaining said panels and corner strips in assembled relation; said bands being tensioned when applied to place said panels and corner strips under compression; said corner strips having gains therein to receive certain of said bands; and a reflecting metal casing on said liner completely covering the interior surface thereof for insulating purposes.

12. A refrigerator including an outer casing and an inner casing or liner, each of said casings including panels arranged in open box form set llllfi ment consisting of top, bottom, back and side sections arranged in box form; metal bands tensed about said compartment to maintain said sections in assembled relation in box form; said bands being tensioned when applied thus putting the sections under compression and maintaining such sections under compression during expansion and contraction in use; said bands constituting the sole means for retaining said sections in assembled relation.

JEROME T. CARD. WILLIAM C. HOLBROOK. 

